This article originally appeared in the July issue of NCGA Golf Magazine
2026 NCGA Foundation Reach Grant Program Applications Still Open
The NCGA Foundation’s Reach Grant Program has certainly made an impact.
To date, NCGA Reach has granted over 20 applications, funding over $400,000 in projects and programs ranging from First Tee Oakland Life Skills classes to the Golf Fore Health seniors rehabilitation program at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex.
Next time, maybe it’ll be a program that you run. Or a new opportunity that you are passionate about.
Applications for 2026 Reach grants are still open through Aug. 31.
Application Guidelines for Excellence
NCGA Reach will provide recipients with up to $25K each. We focus on funding projects that align with the NGCA Foundation's mission and priorities.
Projects focused on growing golf participation among underrepresented groups through programs that are:
- Innovative but practical
- Scalable and repeatable
- Multi-year rather than one-time events
- Designed to create measurable participation growth
The strongest applications will demonstrate:
- A clearly defined underserved audience (youth, girls, adaptive athletes, low-income families, first-generation golfers, etc.)
- A sustainable pathway into golf. Not just exposure events, but continued engagement, coaching, mentorship, leagues, transportation, equipment access, or family involvement.
- Strong partnerships with schools, community centers, parks departments, First Tee Chapters, non-profits, municipal courses, or local golf facilities.
- Measurable outcomes: Number of new participants, retention rates, lesson completion, transition into play, volunteer engagement, or coach development.
- A realistic budget and staffing plan. Showing exactly how up to $25K would be used and how the program continues beyond the grant period.
Want to learn more about the NCGA Foundation Reach Grant Program?
Please visit ncga.org/about/reach or email Susan Merfeld at smerfeld@ncga.org
Golf with a Purpose
Since its founding 125 years ago, the NCGA has believed in the power of golf to change lives and connect communities.
Today, the NCGA Foundation is carrying those tenets forward and reaching more than ever through four primary pillars that just happen to spell out GOLF:
- Grow the Game: Supporting youth golfers at every stage of their journey - from first swings to access through Youth on Course to competitive play and lifelong engagement.
- Opportunity Through Golf: Opening doors through education, professional development and support for the people who make the game possible.
- Lives Changed Through Golf: Supporting programs that use golf to build confidence, connection, and opportunity, such as veteran-focused initiatives, PGA HOPE, and other life-impact programs.
- Forever Preserve Our History and Traditions: Honoring Northern California's golf legacy by preserving its history, celebrating greatness and learning from the past to inspire a brighter future.
To help bring this vision to life with our public golf facilities and programs, we offer NCGA Reach.
The objective of the grant program is to help enable Northern California public golf facilities and public programs to test new programming to be more inclusive, enhance the diversity of golfers in our region, and help grow the game of golf.